Consumer Reports scored the 2022 Kia Carnival high marks after examining the normal measurements for a decent vehicle. It ranked first among minivans with a score of 79 out of 100 overall and 89 out of 100 on the road test. Despite the Carnival’s opposition, the vehicle qualifies as a minivan. It took the place of the mediocre Kia Sedona minivan. The Kia Carnival leaves a lasting impression.
The reliability score was three out of five, but the anticipated owner satisfaction score was four out of five. Customer Reports described it as “The spacious, luxurious, and Kia Carnival. The Carnival MPV, which replaced the previous Kia minivan in the range, is attractively designed and excellent for families. The smooth powertrain, the brakes, the interior space, and the controls are some of the positives mentioned. It won the coveted award “suggested label, likewise.
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What issues is the Kia Carnival experiencing?
Despite being more efficient and useful for most drivers’ needs than SUVs, minivans struggle to compete with SUVs in the market for automobiles.
The majority of people don’t require towing or off-road competent vehicles, yet many are turned off by minvans’ clumsy, oddball appearance.
The Carnival is Kia’s response to the unpopularity of minivans.
It’s a facelifted Sedona minivan designed to resemble an SUV, incorporating elements from both vehicle classes and modernizing the Sedona’s appearance to make it appear svelte and stylish.
The 2022 Kia Carnival hasn’t been on the road long enough for us to know its most prevalent long-term issues, therefore the best method to assess the Carnival’s reliability so far is by the Sedona’s normal issues as Kia based the Sedona and the Carnival on the same design.
Up until now, the most frequent issues with the 2022 Kia Carnival have been a sliding door that won’t latch, a fuel rail tube leak, and a weak windshield.
Structure: Body: Door
Certain 2022 Carnival vehicles are being recalled by Kia Motors America (Kia). The passenger-side power sliding door’s remote controller assembly could be broken, making it impossible for the door to latch firmly.
An unlatched power sliding door may open while moving, increasing the possibility of damage.
Dealers will completely replace the remote controller assembly’s drum and holder for the passenger-side power sliding door release actuator. On December 16, 2021, owner notification letters were sent out. Call 1-800-333-4542 to reach Kia customer support. The recall number for Kia is SC221.
Fuel system, gasoline: Fuel injection system: Fuel rail
Certain 2022 Carnival vehicles are being recalled by Kia Motors America (Kia). It’s possible that the plastic fuel rail tubing was harmed.
The multi-port injection fuel rail will be inspected and, if necessary, replaced free of charge by dealers once Kia notifies owners. On April 30, 2021, the recall got underway. Call 1-800-333-4542 to reach Kia customer support. SC211 is the Kia recall number.
Is the Kia Carnival 2022 trustworthy?
When compared to other new automobiles, we anticipate the 2022 Carnival to have approximately average reliability. This forecast is based on Sedona, the previous Kia minivan, and the company’s brand history.
Will a Kia Carnival travel off-road?
This may not be to your taste, but in the case of family automobiles, this is what peak performance looks like.
- So simple to enter into, feel at ease in, and move around in
- Excellent boot space in particular
- A laser-like concentration on usefulness is quite effective.
- Gremlins in the infotainment system have dulled the experience somewhat.
- Catching biscuits in the seat tracks
- Cleaning efforts are somewhat hampered by the second-row floor mat.
The 2021 Kia Carnival’s main advantage is that it’s not an SUV. The bones of the Carnival prioritize internal room above all else, staying true to its form as a people mover despite having matured to the point of shrugging off some of that bad connotation.
The Carnival is not only low to the ground, but also broad and shaped like a loaf of bread. These days, a streamlined loaf is the epitome of pragmatism pure and simple.
Spending time with the 2021 Carnival serves as a reminder to me once more that although SUVs are obscenely popular, their design has problems that prevent them from being successful.
This is what peak performance looks like, which you may not like. Specifically when it comes to family vehicles.
We’ve left the Carnival’s third row stowed away most of the time and enjoyed the enormous amount of room on offer because the second row of the Carnival is used the most during our daily trips.
Yes, our family of four definitely doesn’t need a vehicle of this caliber, but it’s simple to become used to having so much space in both the second row and trunk. The capacity to eat bicycles and strollers whole is a recurring pleasure that I didn’t anticipate I would value or enjoy as much.
The middle seat in the second row’s reinforced backrest serves nicely as a table and cupholders, accommodating any number of drinks, wipes, toys, and other items we frequently find ourselves lugging around.
And when we’ve crammed in more people than just our own delegation of four, I removed the middle seat of the second row and found the third row’s newly-acquired access to be a blessing. Baby seats are not in the way when you walk into the back. Perfect.
And let me tell you, this Carnival offers more space and comfort in the third row than SUVs can even imagine.
The Carnival’s lack of a rear-mounted spare tire, a pumped-up ride height, or a rear differential means that even with all three rows of seats in use, there is still a ton of deep, practical boot room available.
The basic ergonomics, air conditioning, sun blinds, and power outlets have all been excellent. And in case you didn’t already know, children adore sunroofs. The two generously sized specimens on this Carnival can be opened up to deflect attention and put an end to unrest.
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I’ve long since learned that it’s better to stay away from snacks that melt, spread, or liquefy in any way while driving a car that you care for or don’t own. So, we turn to items like dry biscuits and spill-proof bottles when the unavoidable appetites need to be satisfied.
With continued use, there is a slight issue, though. It can be difficult to remove smaller biscuits and biscuit pieces that have become stuck in the seating track. The only thing I can think of to use as a vacuum cleaner in that space is a chopstick and some patience.
However, most surfaces, including floor carpeting and seat perforations, clean up pretty readily.
The second-row floor mat, which has a complicated design and a symbiotic interaction with the second-row chairs, is a minor complaint. I just left it in place and vacuumed it as well as I could because it’s hard to remove out and clean quickly.
Another is the electric boot, which instead of using gesture control just requires a brief period of time spent standing behind the vehicle. A procession of flashes and beeps may be seen as well as the boot opening automatically while casually strolling towards the back of the Carnival with the key. It’s convenient when you need it, but occasionally you don’t. I once had to stop the Carnival from colliding with another object.
We’ve noticed that the quality of phone calls isn’t excellent, with people on the other end of the line hearing a kind of feedback in which they can hear themselves on repeat. We haven’t noticed this on any other vehicles, so it might have something to do with the phone rather than the car.
Another was that our infotainment system’s display would not even turn on. No one was home, but the music was on and the phone kept ringing. The issue vanished after being locked and switched off for a bit.
The infotainment system is effective when it isn’t malfunctioning. Ours continuously plays Spotify or a digital radio station on a smartphone while being drama-free.
Spending more time with this Carnival over the past few weeks has only made my admiration for Kia’s people mover grow and increase, problems apart (which will be updated with subsequent installments).
And it has confirmed my conviction that, whenever possible, we should acquire cars that are especially good at one or a select few areas rather than attempting to maintain a passing grade in every area. It cannot tow, pop gutters, travel off-road, or traverse ski slopes. But the Carnival is unmatched as a family vehicle that can easily swallow passengers and packages.
As for this midnight purple Carnival, call me crazy, but don’t you think it would look fantastic slammed?
How trustworthy is a Kia?
To obtain their overall reliability ratings, the RepairPal team considers a number of different variables. Simply put, your out-of-pocket ownership expenditures will be cheaper the more dependable your car is. The cost, frequency, and severity of repairs are some of these variables. In order to calculate an individual brand’s total RepairPal reliability rating, these categories are averaged.
In the RepairPal reliability rankings, Kia came in at number three, including second place when only non-luxury brands were included. The Kia Reliability Rating is 4.0 out of 5.0, placing it third among all car brands out of 32. This evaluation is based on the average of 345 different models.
“Kia had three well-liked models, including the Soul, Rio, and Forte, in the top 30 with Excellent ratings. The Optima and Sorento, two of its most well-liked cars, kept their Excellent rankings within the top 100.
Which Kia models are subject to a recall?
Certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles are being recalled by Kia Motors America (Kia). The printed circuit board’s memory chip may come into touch with the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover, breaking the electrical circuit.
Is the Kia Carnival an excellent city car?
The proportions of the Carnival are essentially what set it apart from the competition. The vehicle is 1,755 mm height, 1,985 mm wide, and 5,115 mm long. The Toyota Innova Crysta is 4,735 mm long, 1,830 mm wide, and 1,795 mm tall for reference only.
Although the Carnival’s main shape definitely identifies it as an MPV, Kia designers did a good job of including details that also provide the vehicle a little of its own distinctive flare. The tiger nose grille is flanked by sweeping head light units that also have LED DRLs, and the bonnet gently folds down to meet them. Under these are the chrome C-shaped bazelles-encircled ice-cube fog lights. While the blacked C-Pillar is a minor but important addition to increase the aesthetic appeal, the 18-inch alloy wheels on the opposite side shine out from beneath the rather large arches. About the only other significant design feature left to complete the sleek look here are chrome door knobs. The automobile has striking tail lights, a roof spoiler, and a skid plate over the bumper up front. The back stands straight up.
The rear profile of the Carnival receives just the perfect amount of chrome to improve the aesthetic appeal without pushing too hard.
Any MPV’s interior design is its key selling feature. And Kia has done everything possible to ensure that the cabin will provide plenty for everyone and then some. The car comes in a variety of seating configurations, with the limousine version being the most popular. With seven seats, the car has captain’s chairs in the middle and tablet-like screens for each of the two occupants. On the model of home recliners, there are foot rests that collapse into place when a button is pressed. The center seats may also be moved sideways, front, and backward, which gives the third-row passengers a respectable amount of room. With the second and third seats folded down, the boot expands to a massive 2,759 liters from its starting capacity of 540 liters. Nappa leather seats and a panoramic sunroof are additional features of the limousine version.
Although the Carnival’s second row may be the most expensive seats, front-row passengers won’t have much to gripe about. The occupants in this vehicle are kept both comfortable and entertained because to the decent quality of the plastics, steering-mounted controls, and an eight-inch central entertainment display. The back rows can be reached by pressing a button, and this allows the doors to swing back automatically while the front doors open in the usual way.
Whenever on a highway run, Carnival is at home. The vehicle’s 2.2-liter, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, which complies with BS 6 standards, has a maximum output of 200 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Even though a nine-seat Carnival may find it slightly difficult to carry the full load, this is not a significant flaw.
Although driving is not particularly exciting, there is also no lethargic feeling because to the linear power delivery. The eight-speed automatic transmission system functions without much complaint as well.
The suspension is calibrated to handle rough roads with ease, and the Carnival’s ride quality is truly exceptional. Even if slightly lower speeds could potentially allow for mild vibrations to creep in, the car does a superb job of keeping occupants planted at reasonable speeds up to 60 kmph.
The Carnival performs a superb job of maintaining its stability in city driving, with the steering handling turns reasonably for a car of the Carnival’s size. The MPV maintains its composure in stop-and-go traffic, and the transmission functions pretty well. However, at greater speeds, the brakes doesn’t inspire much confidence, and one would need to use a little bit more force to achieve the desired result.
Carnival, a people-mover at its core, sets new standards for upscale design and comfy amenities.
There is little question that the Carnival is an imposing vehicle. Obviously, it might not fit perfectly in the crowded parking spaces of an Indian city. But aside from that, it is a car that can serve its function and do so elegantly. It presents a strong case for itself at a starting price of 24.95 lakh by having a respectable appearance, providing premium spaciousness, and driving pretty well – even in city settings (ex showroom).